Ronda Rousey to WWE: Former UFC star could debut soon

Ronda Rousey arrives on the Red Carpet at Lure Nightclub for the premier of The Ultimate Fighter women in the newly formed women in the strawweight class.
Reuters/ Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Former UFC star Ronda Rousey and the WWE are engaged in contract discussions, according to WWE executive Paul Levesque, better known as pro wrestling superstar Triple H. The 30-year-old Rousey has been rumoured to make the transition to sports entertainment for several years.

Rousey, a Bronze Medalist in Judo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, wrapped up her career in mixed martial arts after a humiliating loss to Amanda Nunes on Dec. 30, 2016. After the knockout defeat, Rousey tried to train for another fight inside the octagon. However, she retired from the UFC after her marriage to fellow fighter Travis Browne.

"We are talking to Ronda, as we've been for a while. She has a lot of things going on. We have a lot of things going on. But we have a great relationship with her, a very friendly standpoint for a long period of time now. It was great to catch up with her," Levesque told The Associated Press in a recent interview.

Rousey won't be the first legitimate athlete to crossover to the WWE. In 2008, boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. stepped into the sports entertainment platform for a bout against The Big Show at Wrestlemania 24. A few years later, Rousey herself appeared Wrestlemania 31 where she teamed up with actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to collide with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

Will Ronda Rousey appear at WWE Royal Rumble?

There has been some speculation that Rousey will appear at the forthcoming WWE Royal Rumble event to participate in the first-ever women's battle royal. However, Levesque denied that a contract is imminent.

"We have nothing to announce at this time. But she's a huge fan of what we do and she's incredibly interested in what we do and the opportunities that lie there. We're fans of hers and incredibly interested in what those opportunities could be with us. But there's a lot of things to walk through. We're talking. We're having conversations," Levesque added.

Ronda Rousey became the first-ever UFC women's bantamweight champion in Nov. 2012. She maintained an undefeated 12-0 record before suffering losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes in her final two bouts. Rousey has appeared in several films such as "Entourage," "Furious 7" and "The Expendables 3." Stay tuned for the latest on the potential Ronda Rousey to WWE chatter.